Process for retrofitting an existing bus window having rubber seals with metal members that define a retention space for a sacrificial member

ABSTRACT

A process of retrofitting an existing window that uses a gasket to secure a sacrificial member and a glazing. The sacrificial member forms a replaceable protective barrier between the glazing and occupants of a vehicle such as a bus. The gasket is traditionally used to secure the sacrificial member and the glazing to the window. Over time, after several removal and re-installations during replacement of the sacrificial member or the glazing, the gasket typically becomes unfit for subsequent use. The gasket is replaced with a rigid retainer member that fits into an existing recess that receives the gasket. The retainer member secures the sacrificial member and the glazing to the window so as to permit repeated changes of the sacrificial member without removal of the retainer member.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/142,807, filed on May 9, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,082,736 entitled“PROCESS FOR RETROFITTING AN EXISTING BUS WINDOW HAVING RUBBER SEALSWITH METAL MEMBERS THAT DEFINE A RETENTION SPACE FOR A SACRIFICIALMEMBER,” which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/057,617, filed Jan. 23, 2002 entitled “Quick Release SacrificialShield for Window Assembly” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,044, issued Feb. 10,2004, which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/395,692 filed Sep. 13, 1999, entitled “Quick Release SacrificialShield For Window Assembly” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,574, issued Jun. 25,2002, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/186,513, filed Nov. 4, 1998, entitled “Quick Release SacrificialShield For Window Assembly” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,723, issued Mar. 27,2001. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/290,136, filed on May 9, 2001, entitled “PROCESS FORRETROFITTING AN EXISTING BUS WINDOW HAVING RUBBER SEALS WITH METALMEMBERS THAT DEFINE A RETENTION SPACE FOR A SACRIFICIAL MEMBER.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to windows for mass transit vehicles and,in particular, concerns an apparatus and method for reconfiguring buswindows so as to replace rubber retention members with metal retentionmembers that define a space to receive a sacrificial layer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Mass transit vehicles, for example buses and trains and the like,typically have a plurality of windows positioned adjacent the seats ofthe mass transit vehicles. One difficulty that mass transit vehicleoperators experience is that passengers sitting inside the mass transitvehicle will often use sharp objects to scratch the glazing of thewindow thereby damaging the appearance of the window. Over time, masstransit vehicles, particularly those used in large urban areas, can havewindows that are significantly obscured with scratched glazings that maycontain offensive comments and slogans. Replacement of the glazing canbe a particularly expensive proposition given the difficulty of removingthe glazing from the window and the expense of purchasing a replacementsheet of glazing that is specifically sized to meet the contours ofparticular window opening of the mass transit vehicle.

To address this particular need, sacrificial layers are often positionedat the inner surface of the glazing wherein the sacrificial layer isinterposed between the rider of the mass transit vehicle and the innersurface of the glazing. Typically, the sacrificial layer is a layer ofinexpensive acrylic or plastic that can be more easily removed andreplaced than the underlying glazing. Hence, users who would otherwiseattempt to damage the glazing end up damaging the sacrificial layer thatcan then be easily replaced.

One common mechanism for retaining the sacrificial layer is to positiona rubber gasket in the window frame so as to extend around the peripheryof the opening of the window frame. This gasket can then define a spaceinto which the edges of the sacrificial layer can be positioned so as toretain the sacrificial layer adjacent the glazing. Such a gasket alsoretains the glazing of the window within the frame. Thus, when thesacrificial layer and/or the glazing of the window is to be replaced,the rubber gasket needs to be removed from the frame. After thesacrificial layer and/or the glazing of the window is replaced, thegasket, frequently a new set, is repositioned in the window frame.

One difficulty with the use of such a rubber retainer is thatreplacement of the rubber can be a very time consuming and costlyendeavor. In particular, the rubber retainer must be removed from thewindow frame, and over time such rubber retainer can no longer be used.Consequently, a new rubber retainer must then be installed into thewindow frame to replace the damaged rubber retainer. Installation ofsuch a rubber retainer is often a very difficult and time consumingprocess which is even more exacerbated by the fact that most masstransit vehicles have multiple windows that require multiple retainers.

Hence, there is an ongoing need for window protectors and, inparticular, sacrificial window protectors that can be more easilyreplaced at a reduced cost. To this end, there is a need for a reusableretainer for use in conjunction with the sacrificial layers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned needs are satisfied by a method of retrofitting anexisting window in a mass transit vehicle with a replacement sacrificialmember retention assembly. The method comprises extracting a rubbergasket from a recess formed in the frame of the window so that therubber gasket no longer retains the sacrificial member adjacent a firstside of a glazing of the window. The rubber gasket also no longerretains the glazing in the frame. The method further comprises sizing arigid retainer such that the rigid retainer can be positioned in therecess. The method further comprises positioning a plurality of rigidretainers into the recess in the frame such that the rigid retainers areable to retain the sacrificial member adjacent the first side of theglazing. The rigid retainers are also able to retain the glazing in theframe. The method further comprises positioning a sacrificial memberadjacent the first side of the glazing so as to be retained by the rigidretainers.

One implementation of the method further comprises, prior to positioninga plurality of rigid retainers, positioning a replacement glazing in theframe. The rigid retainer preferably comprises a first leg sized to fitinto the recess in the frame, and a second leg that defines a spacesized to receive the sacrificial member such that the sacrificial memberis secured adjacent the first side of the glazing. The second legretains the glazing in the frame by engaging the portion of the firstside of the glazing. The space defined by the second leg is dimensionedsuch that the edges of the sacrificial member slide within the spaces ofthe rigid retainers positioned at opposite sides of the frame so as tofacilitate removal and positioning of the sacrificial member. In oneembodiment, the second leg is further adapted to permit a fastener toextend into the space so as to inhibit sliding of the sacrificialmember.

The rigid retainer positioned in the recess in the frame remains inplace when the sacrificial member is replaced. The rigid retainer isformed from a resilient material to permit repeated use as sacrificialmember is replaced repeatedly, and in one embodiment the rigid retaineris formed from a metal. Such rigid retainer is used to retrofit a masstransit vehicle such as a bus.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of replacing asacrificial member of a window in a mass transit vehicle. The methodcomprises removing a rubber gasket from a recess formed in a frame ofthe window so that the rubber gasket no longer retains the sacrificialmember adjacent a first side of a glazing of the window. The methodfurther comprises removing the existing sacrificial member from thefirst side of the glazing. The method further comprises substituting therubber gasket with at least one rigid retainer that is dimensioned tofit into the recess in the frame of the window and retain thesacrificial member adjacent the first side of the glazing. The methodfurther comprises installing a new sacrificial member such that the atleast one rigid retainer retains the new sacrificial member adjacent thefirst side of the glazing.

The rigid retainer preferably comprises a first leg sized to fit intothe recess in the frame and a second leg that defines a spaced sized toreceive the sacrificial member such that the sacrificial member issecured adjacent the first side of the glazing. The space defined by thesecond leg is dimensioned such that the edges of the sacrificial memberslides within the spaces of the plurality of rigid retainers positionedat opposite sides of the frame.

Installing the new sacrificial member comprises sliding the upper edgeof the sacrificial member into the space of the at least one rigidretainer positioned at the top of the frame so as to facilitatepositioning of the lower edge of the sacrificial member into the spaceof the at least one rigid retainer positioned at the bottom of theframe. In one embodiment the second leg is further adapted to permit afastener to extend into the space so as to inhibit sliding of thesacrificial member.

The rigid retainer is formed from a resilient material to permitrepeated use as sacrificial member is subsequently replaced repeatedly,and in one embodiment the rigid retainer is formed from a metal. Suchrigid retainer is used to replace the sacrificial member of the windowin mass transit vehicles such as a bus.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of replacing aglazing of a window in a mass transit vehicle. The method comprisesremoving a rubber gasket from a recess formed in a frame of the windowso that the rubber gasket no longer retains the glazing in the frame.The method further comprises removing the glazing from the frame, andinstalling a new glazing in the frame. The method further comprisessubstituting the rubber gasket with at least one rigid retainer that isdimensioned to fit into the recess formed in the frame and retain theglazing in the frame.

In one implementation, the method further comprises, after substitutingthe rubber gasket, installing a sacrificial member adjacent the glazingsuch that the sacrificial member is also retained by the at least onerigid retainer. In one embodiment, the rigid retainer comprises a firstleg sized to fit into the recess in the frame and a second leg adaptedto retain the glazing in the frame. The rigid retainer is formed from aresilient material to permit repeated use as glazing is subsequentlyreplaced repeatedly. In one embodiment, the rigid retainer is formedfrom a metal, and such rigid retainer is used in mass transit vehiclessuch as a bus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical bus that exemplifies a common mass transitvehicle;

FIG. 2A illustrates a typical window assembly found on mass transitvehicles such as the bus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross sectional view of a frame of the windowassembly showing how a sacrificial member is traditionally mountedadjacent a glazing;

FIG. 3 illustrates a manner in which the sacrificial member istraditionally replaced;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross sectional view of the frame showingretrofitting of the window assembly with a retention member that retainsthe sacrificial member and the glazing;

FIG. 5A illustrates a cross sectional view of the bottom portion of theframe showing the retrofitted window assembly;

FIG. 5B illustrates a cross sectional view of the top portion of theframe showing a space defined by the retention member dimensioned so asto permit improved replacement of the sacrificial member; and

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the retrofitted window assemblywith a plurality of retention members positioned at selected locations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout. FIG. 1 illustrates a bus 101 that exemplifiesa common mass transit vehicle. The bus 101 comprises a plurality ofwindows 100 positioned at selected locations on side panels 103. Eachwindow 100 comprises a glazing 104 mounted on a frame 102. It is commonfor the window 100 to further comprise a sacrificial member 106 thatprotects the glazing 104.

FIG. 2A illustrates an isolated view of one typical window 100 thatmight be found on mass transit vehicles such as the bus 101 of FIG. 1.The window 100 comprises the glazing 104 mounted on the frame 102. Thewindow 100 may further comprise a sacrificial member 106 that forms alayer adjacent to the glazing 104, so as to provide a replaceableprotective barrier between the glazing 104 and occupants of the vehicle.As is known in the art, windows in mass transit vehicles are subjectedusual wear and tear as well as acts of intentional vandalism. Thereplaceable sacrificial member 106 protects the more costly glazing 104from such mistreatments. Traditionally, the sacrificial member 106 issecured to the window 100 by a gasket 110 in a manner described below.One type of the costly glazing 104 is approximately ¼″ thick, and onetype of the sacrificial member 106 is less than ⅛″ thick.

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross sectional side view of the frame 102,showing the glazing 104 mounted in the frame 102 with an external sealmember 112 interposed therebetween. The seal member 112 seals out theexterior of the vehicle from the interior of the vehicle in a mannerwell known in the art.

The sacrificial member 106 is positioned in a layer adjacent a firstside 108 of the glazing 104, and is secured in place by the gasket 110that is pressed into a recess 114 defined by the frame 102. The gasket110 is selected so as to permit it to securely hold the sacrificialmember 106 in place. The gasket 110 may be secured in place either byfrictional fit, or by an adhesive. The gasket 110 also retains theglazing 104 in the frame 102 adjacent the seal member 112.

FIG. 3 illustrates the traditional method of replacing the sacrificialmember 106, wherein the gasket 110 is removed from the frame 102 so asto permit the sacrificial member 106 to be removed. As is well known inthe art, once a gasket is removed from its fixed configuration ofextended time, it loses some of its usefulness. Thus after several useover time, the gasket 110 may become brittle and cracked, rendering itunsuitable for further use. As a result, the gasket 110 typically needsto be replaced regularly, thus adding to the cost of time and materialassociated with the procedure. Since the gasket 110 also retains theglazing 104 in the frame 102, the gasket 110 needs to be removed whenthe glazing 104 is replaced. This further increases the cost of windowmaintenance when such gaskets are used. Aside from the material cost ofthe gasket, re-installing the gasket is labor-intensive, thus furtheradding to the cost of window maintenance.

FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B illustrate a process for retrofitting the window 100so as to remove its dependence on the gasket 110 to secure thesacrificial member 106 and the glazing 104 in place. After the gasket110 is removed from the frame 102, as described above in reference toFIG. 3, a retainer member 120 is inserted into the recess 114 that waspreviously occupied by the gasket 110. As shown in a cross sectionalview in FIG. 4, one embodiment of the retainer member 120 comprises afirst leg 122 and a second leg 124. The first leg 122 is sized to fitinto the recess 114 that previously received the rubber gasket 110, andthe second leg 124 is spaced outward from the first leg 122 so as todefine a space 132 into which a sacrificial member 106 can be positionedadjacent the first side 108 of the glazing 104.

In one embodiment, the first leg 122 has a rounded end 126 so as tofacilitate easier insertion into the recess 114. The first leg 122further comprises a plurality of serrations 130 that helps to secure thefirst leg 122 in the recess 114. In one embodiment, the retainer member120 further defines various openings 134 that can receive additionalseals and the like.

Preferably, the retrofitting of the window 100 is performed when thesacrificial member 106 is replaced. It will be appreciated, however,that the retrofitting of the window 100 can be performed at any timewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

FIG. 5A illustrates a cross sectional view of a retrofitted window 100,wherein the retainer member 120 has replaced the gasket 110 describedabove in reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The first leg 122 engages the frame102 such that the sacrificial member 106 can be received into the space132 defined by the second leg 124, and held therein securely adjacentthe first side 108 of the glazing 104.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the sacrificial member 106 is retained in placeadjacent the first side 108 of the glazing 104 by one embodiment of afirst seal 146 mounted in the openings 134 defined by the second leg124. In particular, the first seal 146 engages the portion of thesacrificial member 106 and pushes it against the first side 108 of theglazing 104. Furthermore, the cross section of the first seal 146defines a wedge whose tip engages the first side 108 of the glazing 104,thus retaining the glazing 104 securely adjacent the seal member 112. Aportion of the wedge defined by the first seal 146 engages the edge ofthe sacrificial member 106 and inhibits the sacrificial member 106 fromsliding beyond the first seal 146. In one embodiment, the first seal 146is made from resilient rubber or hard vinyl so as to provide sealing andretaining properties in a reusable manner.

FIG. 5B illustrates another retainer member 140 that is similar to theretainer 120 described above. The retainer member 140 comprises a firstleg 142 and a second leg 144, wherein the second leg 144 is adapted topermit a fastener 152 to extend into a space 150 defined by the secondleg 144. The retainer member 140 is positioned on the opposite side fromthe retainer member 120 in order to permit the sacrificial member 106 tobe installed and removed from the window in a manner similar to theprocess disclosed in a co-pending Provisional Application by Farrartitled “Sacrificial shield for window assembly”, Ser. No. 09/820,184,filed on Mar. 27, 2001. The sacrificial member 106 is sized such thatwhen installed, the fastener 152 extending into the space 150 inhibitsthe sacrificial member 106 from moving while occupying a portion of thespace 150. To remove the sacrificial member 106, the fastener 152 isretracted from the space 150 so as to permit the sacrificial member 106to slide into the rest of the space 150, thus freeing the other edge ofthe sacrificial member 106 from the space 132 described above inreference to FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5B further illustrates one embodiment of a second seal 148 mountedin openings 160 defined by the second leg 144. In particular, the secondseal 148 engages the portion of the sacrificial member 106 and pushes itagainst the first side 108 of the glazing 104. Furthermore, the crosssection of the second seal 148 defines a wedge whose tip engages thefirst side 108 of the glazing 104, thus retaining the glazing 104securely adjacent the seal member 112. It will be appreciated that theprocess of retrofitting the portion of the window with the retainermember 140 is substantially similar to the process described above inreference to the retainer member 120. It will further be appreciatedthat other procedures (than that disclosed in Provisional applicationSer. No. 09/820,184) may be employed to install and remove thesacrificial member 106 from the window 100 without departing from thespirit of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the retrofitted window 100comprising the retainer members 120 being positioned on the oppositesides of the retainer members 140 so as to permit installation andremoval of the sacrificial member 106 as described above. In anotherembodiment of the retrofitted window 100, the retainer member 140 ofFIG. 5B is substantially same as the retainer member 120 of FIGS. 4 and5A. The window is retrofitted such that the retainer member positionedat the bottom of the window is fitted with the first seal 146 asdescribed above in reference to FIG. 5A, and the retainer memberspositioned at the top and sides of the window are fitted with the secondseal 148 described above in reference to FIG. 5B.

It will be appreciated that the retrofitted window 100 permitssubsequent changes of the sacrificial members 106 to be performed in aneasier manner. Furthermore, the retrofitted window 100 permits replacingof the glazing itself when necessary (such as when the glazing isdamaged) in an improved manner described above. In one embodiment, theretainer members 120, 140 are formed from a resilient material such asplastic or vinyl so as to permit repeated use, thus providing costsavings by not discarding the traditional gaskets described above.

Although the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment describedand pointed out the fundamental features of the invention, it will beunderstood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the formof the detail of the apparatus and method as illustrated, as well as theuse thereof, may be made by those skilled in the art, without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention.

1. A method of retrofitting an existing window in a mass transit vehiclewith a replacement sacrificial member retention assembly, the methodcomprising: extracting a rubber gasket from a recess formed in the frameof the window so that the rubber gasket no longer retains thesacrificial member adjacent a first side of a glazing of the window,wherein the rubber gasket also no longer retains the glazing in theframe; sizing a rigid retainer such that the rigid retainer can bepositioned in the recess; positioning a plurality of rigid retainersinto the recess in the frame such that the rigid retainers are able toretain the sacrificial member adjacent the first side of the glazing,wherein the rigid retainers are also able to retain the glazing in theframe; and positioning a sacrificial member adjacent the first side ofthe glazing so as to be retained by the rigid retainers.